UWM earned the prestigious Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement in 2015 and maintained that designation in 2020.
The continuing Carnegie Classification recognition is a direct result of concrete evidence that UWM’s community engagement efforts are better integrated, more pervasive, and sustainable. We look forward to demonstrating the depth, quality, and sustainability of our collective efforts for the 2026 renewal process.
Community engagement describes collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities — be they local, regional/state, national or global — for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity. The purpose of community engagement is facilitating the combination of college and university knowledge and resources with those of the public and private sectors. Doing so enriches scholarship, research, and creative activity; enhances curriculum, teaching, and learning; prepares educated, engaged citizens; strengthens democratic values and civic responsibility; addresses critical societal issues; and contributes to the public good.